Five Minutes to Seven
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1964Production year
1963—1964Premiere
5 March 1965Runtime
73 minDirector
Pavel HoblCategory
filmGenre
slapstickTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Za pět minut sedmCzech title
Za pět minut sedmEnglish title
Five Minutes to SevenWorking title
GenerálSummary
Writer-director Pavel Hobl had a success in 1963 with the children’s comedy Máte doma lva? (Do You Keep a Lion at Home?). The following year, he looked to follow that up with Za pět minut sedm (Five Minutes to Seven), another fantasy feature for young people, but this time tinged with a moralising lesson on society. The narrative tells of Tonda and Radek, two members of the Pioneers (the favoured term of the socialist regime for the “scouts”) who regularly take care of the town hall glockenspiel. They have the conviction that the instrument is inseparably connected to the life of the town. Confirmation of this is at hand the moment that Richard, the pompous, deceitful son of a general, starts doing them harm. The boys’ fanciful, imaginative interests and activities even attract a television crew... and at the decisive moment, the glockenspiel does its magic. Only Tonda and Radek, and their friend Alžběta, know how to solve the situation... Looking at the theme of this motion picture, it is possible to detect a slight resemblance to Vojtěch Jasný’s parable Až přijde kocour (That Cat..., 1963). In the casting of the adults, František Filipovský was given the part of the school director, while Miloš Nesvadba was selected to play the eager teacher.
Synopsis
Every day at seven, the melody of chimes is heard from the town hall clock, attended to by two pioneers, Tonda and Radek. The two boys, along with their girlfriend Andělka, believe that the life of the little town is connected to the running of the clock. There is a newcomer to their class, Richard, son of General Hanousek, who has just moved to the town. Richard's behaviour does win him any friends - he is favoured only by a fawning teacher, and Richard, used to receiving such attention, acts like a swollen-headed functionary. As the pioneer's group chairman, he writes reports on its so-called "hobby activities" although, in fact, there is no such thing at the school. Upon the suggestion of the headmaster, Richard nevertheless writes an article about to the Pioneers' Review. His article attracts the interest of Czechoslovak television, who wants to film a more detailed account of the school. But before the announced TV crew arrives, the headmaster finds out that all the activities were only made-up by Richard. The situation can be saved only by another swindle. The headmaster organizes a feast at the main square and invites Richard's father to attend. People and pupils gather on the square, waiting for the headmaster's speech. Soon, it will be seven, and the town clock needs a wind-up. But the headmaster does not let Tonda and Radek leave, the clock stops and with it also stops the life of the whole town. Richard leaves with his father, who has been transferred. But everything still can be saved by the boys and Andělka, who are resistant to the magic.
Photos
Cast
František Filipovský
ředitel školy
Vladislav Dražďák
generál Hanousek
Jana Janovská
třídní učitelka Staňková
Miloš Patočka
školník
Naděžda Chmelařová
Hanouskova žena
Miloš Nesvadba
snaživý učitel
Jiří Vojta
řidič Franta
Miroslav Lang
muž z televize
Pavel Beránek
Richard, syn Hanouskových
Petr Kronďák
Tonda
Jaroslav Tomášek
Radek
Emil Karas
Venca
Jan Straširipka
Otík
Pavel Šoltys
Bohouš
Petr Vidlář
Kuba
Lucie Šafránková
Blaženka
Vilém Nazarov
chlapec
Bohouš Gaidoš
chlapec
Helena Lišková
dívka
Andrejka Vojtová
Andělka
Olga Machoninová
Milunka
Jaroslav Štercl
průvodce
Pavel Hobl
učitel
Raoul Schránil
učitel
Bohuslav Ličman
učitel
Gustav Fischel
učitel
Rudolf Kudrnáč
učitel
Míla Myslíková
učitelka
Olga Augustová
učitelka
Blanka Blahníková
učitelka
Věra Lišková
učitelka
Miloš Švarc
učitel
Karel Vajnar
učitel
Jan Mikota
hráč šachů, muž s bradkou
Helena Růžičková
přadlena
Jiří Růžička st.
prodavač zeleniny
Jiří Vojta
voják
Petr Herrmann
Buřič
J. Juříček
Bezouška
Václav Klofát
Bengl
Čestmír Studna
Vachtrle
Vladimír Navrátil
desátník
Jaroslav Toms
lepič plakátů
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Jiří Růžička st., Jaroslav Toms, Jiří Minařík, Věra Manglová
Based on
Pavel Tumlíř (Za pět minut sedm – rozhlasová hra), Vladimír Príkazský (Za pět minut sedm – rozhlasová hra)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Jiří Polák, Ladislav Vinklárek
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Art Director
Set Designer
Jaromír Dědek, Ivo Černý, Vladimír Mácha
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Jiří Pavlík, Bohumír Brunclík (zvukové efekty)
Special Effects
Karel Dobřichovský, Jiří Polák, Ladislav Vinklárek, Jiří Vojta
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Adolf Široký, Josef Mathauser
Unit Production Manager
Vlasta Mathauserová
Cooperation
Josef Janoušek (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Johann Strauss (Radeckého pochod /Radetzky-Marsch/)
Music Performed by
Jazzový orchestr Československého rozhlasu (Music Conducted by Karel Krautgartner)
Songs
U panského dvora
Song Composer lidová píseň
Writer of Lyrics František Jaroslav Vacek-Kamenický
Singer dětský sbor
Production info
Original Title
Za pět minut sedm
Czech Title
Za pět minut sedm
English Title
Five Minutes to Seven
Working Title
Generál
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
slapstick
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1964
Production Year
1963—1964
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 28 August 1963
technical Screenplay approved 17 October 1963
start of filming 18 November 1963
end of filming 29 June 1964
projection approval 23 November 1964
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1973
Premiere
preview 19 February 1965 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 5 March 1965 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Tvůrčí skupina Švabík – Procházka, Jan Procházka (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Erich Švabík (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
73 min
Original length in metres
2 069 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
